OMO, which is Africaโs biggest laundry brand, has launched an educational campaign across schools to engage and educate children on plastic recycling through its Dirt For Good campaign, as part of efforts to inspire a more responsible citizenry on sustainability practices.
The Dirt For Good campaign is a 3-week programme and holistic approach towards reducing waste, promoting sustainability and creating better communities. It is focused on making children and youths a part of the solution towards addressing plastic waste and littering by sensitizing and encouraging the collection and recycling of plastic waste, and proper waste disposal practices with thirty schools to be engaged through this initiative across Lagos.
Speaking at an event in Karis Schools, Omo Brand Manager, Chinonyerem Opara, emphasized that there was the need to take urgent action on sustainability and climate change, stating that Nigerian children are the changemaker generation that can impact the future of their environment.
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โGlobal studies have consistently shown the negative impacts of plastic waste on the environmentโ, said Chinonyerem Opara, Brand Manager, OMO. โFor example, it can cause intestinal damage when ingested by fish and turtles. These plastic bags, bottles and other objects flow into canals and water reservoirs and end up partially or completely clogging them. With the huge surge, we are currently experiencing, addressing plastic waste and recycling is no longer a local issue, but a global concern for everyoneโ.
Speaking further he said, โThe low level of recycling in Nigeria, which is less than 12%, and inadequate waste collection is a huge threat to plastic pollution managementโ, said Yemisi Lawal, Chief Operating Officer, Wecyclers. โAn estimated 367 million tonnes of plastic were produced in 2020 alone โ about 12 tonnes (12,000kg) of plastic waste produced every second that year. If we are to find a lasting solution to waste pollution, it begins by influencing change across all communities, even with studentsโ.
He maintained that the Dirt For Good Campaign is lending a voice to the global concern on plastics and wastes in line with the brand purpose which is to โPower up the worldโs changemakers to get Dirty For Goodโ and encourage young people to take action on these issues to make a change for the future.
Story was adapted from the Cable.
